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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to procedures related to juvenile justice proceedings; |
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increasing the punishment for certain delinquent conduct. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 4.19(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding the order of a juvenile court to detain |
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a person under the age of 17 who has been certified to stand trial as |
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an adult in a certified juvenile detention facility under Section |
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54.02(h), Family Code, the judge of the criminal court having |
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jurisdiction over the person may order the person to be transferred |
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to an adult facility. A person under the age of 17 [child] who is |
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transferred to an adult facility must be detained under conditions |
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meeting the requirements of Section 51.12(f) [51.12], Family Code. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 51.02(2) and (8-a), Family Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Child" means a person who is: |
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(A) ten years of age or older and under 17 years |
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of age; or |
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(B) under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court, |
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is seventeen years of age or older and under 19 [18] years of age, |
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and [who] is alleged or found to have engaged in delinquent conduct |
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or conduct indicating a need for supervision as a result of acts |
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committed before becoming 17 years of age. |
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(8-a) "Nonsecure correctional facility" means any |
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public or private residential [a] facility, other than a secure |
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detention or correctional facility, that only accepts juveniles |
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who: |
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(A) are on probation; |
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(B) have been detained in compliance with Section |
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53.02, 54.01, or 54.011; or |
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(C) have been placed at the facility as a |
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condition of court-ordered deferred adjudication or prosecution |
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under Section 53.03 [described by Section 51.126]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.12, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (g-1) to read as follows: |
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(g-1) Subsection (g) does not apply to a person under 17 |
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years of age who: |
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(1) has been transferred to a criminal court for |
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prosecution under Section 54.02; and |
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(2) is detained in an adult jail or lockup pending |
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trial. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 52.0151(b) and (c), Family Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The court may order that the person who is the witness be |
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detained in a certified juvenile detention facility [if the person
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is younger than 17 years of age]. If the person is at least 17 years |
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of age and in the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department |
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or a post-adjudication secure correctional facility operated under |
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Section 152.0016, Human Resources Code, the court may order that |
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the person be detained without bond in an appropriate county |
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facility for the detention of adults accused of criminal offenses. |
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(c) A witness held in custody under this section may be |
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placed in a certified juvenile detention facility or a county |
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facility for a period not to exceed 30 days. The length of placement |
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may be extended in 30-day increments by the court that issued the |
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original bench warrant. If the placement is not extended, the |
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period under this section expires and the witness shall [may] be |
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returned as provided by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 5. Section 53.045(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (e), the prosecuting |
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attorney may refer the petition to the grand jury of the county in |
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which the court in which the petition is filed presides if the |
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petition alleges that the child engaged in delinquent conduct that |
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constitutes habitual felony conduct as described by Section 51.031 |
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or that included the violation of any of the following provisions: |
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(1) Section 19.02, Penal Code (murder); |
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(2) Section 19.03, Penal Code (capital murder); |
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(3) Section 19.04, Penal Code (manslaughter); |
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(4) Section 20.04, Penal Code (aggravated |
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kidnapping); |
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(5) Section 22.011, Penal Code (sexual assault) or |
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Section 22.021, Penal Code (aggravated sexual assault); |
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(6) Section 22.02, Penal Code (aggravated assault); |
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(7) Section 29.03, Penal Code (aggravated robbery); |
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(8) Section 22.04, Penal Code (injury to a child, |
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elderly individual, or disabled individual), if the offense is |
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punishable as a felony, other than a state jail felony; |
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(9) Section 22.05(b), Penal Code (felony deadly |
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conduct involving discharging a firearm); |
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(10) Subchapter D, Chapter 481, Health and Safety |
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Code, if the conduct constitutes a felony of the first degree or an |
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aggravated controlled substance felony (certain offenses involving |
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controlled substances); |
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(11) Section 15.03, Penal Code (criminal |
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solicitation); |
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(12) Section 21.11(a)(1), Penal Code (indecency with a |
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child); |
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(13) Section 15.031, Penal Code (criminal |
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solicitation of a minor); |
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(14) Section 15.01, Penal Code (criminal attempt), if |
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the offense attempted was an offense under Section 19.02, Penal |
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Code (murder), or Section 19.03, Penal Code (capital murder), or an |
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offense listed by Article 42A.054(a), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(15) Section 28.02, Penal Code (arson), if bodily |
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injury or death is suffered by any person by reason of the |
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commission of the conduct; |
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(16) Section 49.08, Penal Code (intoxication |
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manslaughter); [or] |
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(17) Section 30.02, Penal Code (burglary), if the |
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offense is punishable under Section 30.02(d), Penal Code, and the |
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actor committed the offense with intent to commit a felony under |
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Section 21.11, 22.011, 22.021, or 22.02, Penal Code; or |
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(18) Section 15.02, Penal Code (criminal conspiracy), |
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if the offense made the subject of the criminal conspiracy includes |
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a violation of any of the provisions referenced in Subdivisions (1) |
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through (17) [(16)]. |
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SECTION 6. Section 54.04(d), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) If the court or jury makes the finding specified in |
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Subsection (c) allowing the court to make a disposition in the case: |
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(1) the court or jury may, in addition to any order |
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required or authorized under Section 54.041 or 54.042, place the |
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child on probation on such reasonable and lawful terms as the court |
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may determine: |
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(A) in the child's own home or in the custody of a |
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relative or other fit person; or |
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(B) subject to the finding under Subsection (c) |
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on the placement of the child outside the child's home, in: |
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(i) a suitable foster home; |
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(ii) a suitable public or private |
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residential treatment facility licensed by a state governmental |
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entity or exempted from licensure by state law, except a facility |
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operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; [or] |
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(iii) a suitable public or private |
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post-adjudication secure correctional facility that meets the |
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requirements of Section 51.125, except a facility operated by the |
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Texas Juvenile Justice Department; or |
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(iv) a suitable public or private nonsecure |
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correctional facility that meets the requirements of Section |
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51.126, other than a nonsecure facility operated by the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(2) if the court or jury found at the conclusion of the |
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adjudication hearing that the child engaged in delinquent conduct |
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that violates a penal law of this state or the United States of the |
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grade of felony, the court or jury made a special commitment finding |
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under Section 54.04013, and the petition was not approved by the |
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grand jury under Section 53.045, the court may commit the child to |
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the Texas Juvenile Justice Department under Section 54.04013, or a |
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post-adjudication secure correctional facility under Section |
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54.04011(c)(1), as applicable, without a determinate sentence; |
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(3) if the court or jury found at the conclusion of the |
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adjudication hearing that the child engaged in delinquent conduct |
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that included a violation of a penal law listed in Section 53.045(a) |
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and if the petition was approved by the grand jury under Section |
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53.045, the court or jury may sentence the child to commitment in |
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the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or a post-adjudication secure |
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correctional facility under Section 54.04011(c)(2) with a possible |
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transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a term of: |
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(A) not more than 40 years if the conduct |
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constitutes: |
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(i) a capital felony; |
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(ii) a felony of the first degree; or |
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(iii) an aggravated controlled substance |
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felony; |
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(B) not more than 20 years if the conduct |
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constitutes a felony of the second degree; or |
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(C) not more than 10 years if the conduct |
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constitutes a felony of the third degree; |
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(4) the court may assign the child an appropriate |
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sanction level and sanctions as provided by the assignment |
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guidelines in Section 59.003; or |
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(5) [the court may place the child in a suitable
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nonsecure correctional facility that is registered and meets the
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applicable standards for the facility as provided by Section
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51.126; or
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[(6)] if applicable, the court or jury may make a |
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disposition under Subsection (m) or Section 54.04011(c)(2)(A). |
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SECTION 7. Section 61.0031(d), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The juvenile court to which the order has been |
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transferred shall require the parent or other eligible person to |
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appear before the court to notify the parent or other eligible |
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person of the existence and terms of the order, unless the parent or |
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other eligible person [permanent supervision hearing under Section
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51.073(c)] has [been] waived, in writing, the right to |
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appear. Failure to do so renders the order unenforceable. |
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SECTION 8. Section 261.401, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) In this section, for purposes of an investigation |
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conducted by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, "child" means |
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an individual who is: |
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(1) 10 years of age or older and younger than 19 years |
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of age; and |
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(2) committed to the department under Title 3. |
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SECTION 9. Section 261.405(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Child" means a person who is: |
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(A) 10 years of age or older and younger than 19 |
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years of age; and |
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(B) under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court. |
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(2) "Juvenile justice facility" means a facility |
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operated wholly or partly by the juvenile board, by another |
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governmental unit, or by a private vendor under a contract with the |
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juvenile board, county, or other governmental unit that serves |
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juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction. The term includes: |
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(A) a public or private juvenile |
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pre-adjudication secure detention facility, including a holdover |
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facility; |
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(B) a public or private juvenile |
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post-adjudication secure correctional facility except for a |
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facility operated solely for children committed to the Texas |
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Juvenile Justice Department; and |
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(C) a public or private nonsecure [non-secure] |
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juvenile post-adjudication residential treatment facility that is |
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not licensed by the Department of Family and Protective Services or |
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the Department of State Health Services. |
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(3) [(2)] "Juvenile justice program" means a program |
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or department operated wholly or partly by the juvenile board or by |
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a private vendor under a contract with a juvenile board that serves |
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juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction. The term includes: |
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(A) a juvenile justice alternative education |
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program; |
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(B) a non-residential program that serves |
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juvenile offenders under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court; |
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and |
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(C) a juvenile probation department. |
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SECTION 10. Subchapter A, Chapter 152, Human Resources |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 152.0018 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 152.0018. COORDINATION OF SERVICES FOR JUVENILES IN |
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CONSERVATORSHIP. A juvenile board or local juvenile probation |
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department and the Department of Family and Protective Services |
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shall plan and coordinate services for a child who is in the |
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conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services |
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and subject to proceedings under Title 3, Family Code, including |
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services for a child who is: |
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(1) released from detention under conditions provided |
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under Section 53.02(a), Family Code; |
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(2) released from detention under conditions provided |
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under Section 54.01(f), Family Code, after a hearing conducted |
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under Section 54.01, Family Code; |
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(3) detained as a result of a hearing conducted under |
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Section 54.01, Family Code; |
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(4) placed in a secure correctional facility, |
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nonsecure correctional facility, or other placement, including a |
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placement that qualifies for funding under Title IV-E, Social |
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Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 670 et seq.), by a juvenile court as |
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a condition of probation under Section 54.04(d), Family Code; or |
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(5) placed on probation under Section 54.04, Family |
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Code, and released to the custody of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services. |
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SECTION 11. Section 201.001(a)(2), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Child" means an individual: |
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(A) 10 years of age or older and younger than 19 |
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[18] years of age who is under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court; |
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or |
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(B) 10 years of age or older and younger than 19 |
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years of age who is committed to the department under Title 3, |
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Family Code. |
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SECTION 12. Section 53.045(a), Family Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to conduct violating a penal law that occurs |
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on or after the effective date of this Act. Conduct violating a |
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penal law that occurs before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the conduct occurred, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of |
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this section, conduct occurs before the effective date of this Act |
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if any element of the conduct occurs before the effective date. |
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SECTION 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |